1986 Chevy K5 - Project Lost and Found 6.2LS 6L80E NP205

[mattrains]

I bought this K5 when I was 16 and sold it when I was 18 due to financial strains, 10 years later I found it and bought it back. It's in a lot worse condition since I first had it but I guess that will make for a better build thread?

So here are some specs on the truck. It's an 86' Steel Gray Metallic K5 with a Mark IV 454 Big Block, TH400 Trans, 12 Bolt rear and 10 bolt front. The interior has seats from a later model Suburban and a pretty nice stereo. Nothing major but a great point to start back at. It's like having a do over at my first car.

So here are some before and after pics. The first pics are of when I had it when I was 16-18 and the other pics are as it sits now. It's a big difference in person but you can see.

Pictures on the left are 2000 to 2002 range and pictures on the right are 2012 Before I went and picked it up.















I'll keep everyone posted as it goes on and I would love any advice or input you have. It will be a slow build but it will be awesome.

-Matt

[mattrains]

Okay so here's some quick fun stuff from the glove box...

The original owners manual



The section inside the owners manual that talks about proper off-road driving hehe



Original Maintenance Schedule



The records of the original owner. Where he took it, what was done etc.



The Chevrolet Hotel/Motel Car Rental Guide. Parts of Chevys old "Commitment to Excellence"



Another document from their Commitment to Excellence that just goes over what's included in the glove box.



This one is pretty cool. It's the original owners Chevy ID Card. It was used for services and other Chevy items.







This little guide is hilarious. It has all types of self trouble shooting work flows in it. Like is your car noise coming from the front of the back, does it stutter when it drives. haha. Great stuff.



The original Warranty. It was SO much more simple then the new ones. It's a list of "Here's what's covered" and "Here's what's not covered". Simple and easy to read. Love it.



And my favorite piece. The glove box Service Parts Identification Doc. This document found in the glove box shows all optional equipment and some standard stuff. It even shows the Order Number from Chevy. I hope to use the order number to find some historical docs from Chevrolet I can use to keep on record if I ever show it. The only issue is it's not original but I don't really care.

[mattrains]

I continued to rip out the carpet in the K5 today and I found some depressing stuff. First thing, there were 2 complete sets of carpet. The new carpet was on top of the old carpet and even worse all of that was on top of the original insulation/padding and the padding was wet which of course caused RUST!

See the pics below but the back half isn't that bad, it has some rust near the tailgate but nothing all the way through. The major rust is where the rear floor pans are or where the back passengers put their feet and also right where the door closes.

Today I took a grinder with a scotch pad and started grinding away. It came out okay but I just wanted to see what needed to be done. I know i'm going to need parts of new floor pans some welding and when it's all done i'll cover it in Polyurea.

Anyone ever replaced their floors? Any tips? Any recommendations on a paint?










Thanks,
Matt

[mattrains]

I took some 36 grit sanding pads on my grinder and removed the rest of the paint on the passenger side floor. First thing I learned is even if the paint looks fine there could still be rust underneath. I honestly thought of only grinding the areas that had exposed rust or bubbled paint but I am glad I went ahead and stripped it all. There were some places that looked perfect but after the sanding disc went over it I found some rust, nothing bad but rust none the less.

I have everything to the point now where I need some floor pans to measure what exactly I need to cut and what I can leave alone. The good news is the 2 pieces that need to be cut near the back of the floor are square so I could just patch them with some sheet steel but because of the damage so close to the door I will just go ahead and get a replacement pan.

I also checked the drivers side a little and everything looks great except where the floor and the piece under the rear window come together, it's gone completely but should be easy enough to fab up a replacement piece for it.

Anyway here are the pics from today.

[mattrains]

Check out the shirt I had Chip Foose sketch for me. Pretty Sweet!

[mattrains]

Here it is the L92 LS Motor Trans and T-Case out of a 08 Escalade. Soon to be installed into my K5!! Very Excited!

[mattrains]

:whistle: So Ummmm.... UPS guy dropped something by the house, it looks like an NP205 twin stick with 1350 flanges but i'm still looking into it...

:thumb:

[mattrains]

Finished cleaning up the motor today, all I have left to do is the throttle body and I think i'm going to sand blast the housing because it's filthy.

Before I put it in the blazer I will sand blast all the bracket and rails then put them on once it's sitting on the frame.

[mattrains]

So I called everywhere I could think of including Advance Adapters and no one had or was willing to create an adapter for a 6L80E to an old school race track pattern NP205.

If no one makes it and no one is willing to create it the only other option is to learn CAD Design :-)

So I learned how to use the CAD software and build the adapter I needed last night. I'll be taking it to my machine shop today to get it done in Steel.

The adapter is a 2 piece design that allows a rigid mount on the transmission side then a clockable ring on the t-case side. When it is installed I will have the ability to mount the transmission to the cross member like stock but then clock my T-Case in 15 degree increments so I can have a nice flat under belly. It will also allow for a full 1 5/8" of engagement into the t-case.

Here are some pics of the design.

Transmission Adapter...


T-Case Adapter...

[mattrains]

I did a quick test fit on the Holley passenger side A/C bracket along with my new Sanden compressor. It looks factory, like it should belong from the factory (just cleaner). After I blast all the aluminum accessories it should look great.



Tonight I start work on the Cam swap. I've never done one so it should be fun.

[mattrains]

@Babaganoosh - When I hooked an air line to the cylinder air was coming through the intake manifold so it was passing by the valve. It ended up being some carbon but I wanted to take it all apart while I have it out and make sure it wasn't something worse like a bent valve or bad seat.

Here are some pics of the motor while we were taking the heads off...







Here are the cylinders and pistons once we removed the heads and started cleaning everything up...





Here are the pistons after cleaning...




Here are the heads when I got them back from the machine shop, tanked 3 times to get rid of all the carbon. I also had them change out my new springs while they had them apart...




I've been out of town all week so I am still waiting on my NP205 adapter and tomorrow I will hopefully get the heads back on the motor and get it buttoned back up.

[mattrains]

I got the first prototype for my transmission to tcase adapter. It's fully clock able and allows for proper engagement.

After a few changes I'll have it done in aluminum.

[mattrains]

I stopped by the body shop today. They've got it torn down pretty good. Body comes off the frame tomorrow and off to the powder coater after some additions from ord.

Oh and I sold the big block/turbo400/np208 to a guy at the shop so they'll take it out tomorrow as well.

[mattrains]

I guess I can classify it as a full frame off restoration now. Getting pumped about the progress.

[mattrains]

Went back to the shop and they have the frame completely stripped now. They also installed the ord front shackle bushing kit, steering support bracket and steering box reinforcement.









I called ORD and ordered a full set of their custom springs, HD front and rear shackles and the front knuckles for the cross over steering.

I went with 6" full springs front and rear with no extra shackle length. What are you thought on using no shackle?

[mattrains]

My body guy didn't feel comfortable reusing the 28 year old undercoating so we stuck it on a rotisserie. Once the undercoating is off I'll have the underside coated in polyurea.

[Nin92]

Wow. A lot of progress being made! That drive train is badass!

[carboncrew]

Wow, all in build. Very nice

[bohmankid]

following this one.

[Greenlee]

Nice work! I'm interested to see how that t-case adapter works.
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[Low Elco]

Nice, I wanna see this!

[68Timber]

I'm in!